Thank You for Calling
by LaughingDot
Summary: Duo meant to tell Hilde, he really did. But somewhere between the 10 oz steak, the smoked salmon, and Hilde asking him to guess the color of the newest member of her panty collection, he just never found the right moment to mention it. DxH Rated T.


Year is A.C. 203.

Duo sat at the edge of his bed in the still, quiet darkness. Light from the street lamps outside filtered in through the sheer curtains covering the single widow. From that light he could make out the shape of Hilde in the bed. The light traveled over the gentle curve of her shoulder down to the dip of her petite waist and then up the sharp slope of her hip. She was facing away from him, which was for the better. He couldn't look at her sleeping face now. It would only make him feel more guilty.

At 3:37 the previous afternoon he finally arrived home after a four month long mission. The two young lovers practically pounced on each other in the space port. Upon arriving home he found that she had made him his favorite foods. Yes foods. After living four months on military rations that came in plastic sack, he ate one course after another without even blinking. The woman had even gone so far as to bake him a welcome home pie. Duo Maxwell fully believed that he had the best wife any man could ask for.

A few people felt that when he married her five years ago at the age of 18, that he was too young. He remembered hearing people say that he should experience life more before he settled down. Duo had survived urchin street life, piloted a Gundam, fought in a war, and helped to save the world…twice, all before he was 17. How much more life experience did they think he needed? So he confidently decided to fuck them and propose anyway.

Hilde didn't even bat an eyelash when he asked. She just smiled and threw her arms around his neck. Deep down, Duo knew that she saw it coming. Perhaps he hadn't been as sneaky as he thought. Or maybe that was what he intended. Either way, he asked her in October of AC 198, and by November she was his.

Memories of their modest wedding flittered in his mind. Hilde looked so pretty. She still did. The smile that had involuntarily formed on his face faded.

At 4:02 the previous afternoon Duo checked his phone messages in the hallway of their simple home only to hear that they, Preventer, needed him to turn around and come back. His flight left at 7:45 the next morning. End of message.

Duo meant to tell Hilde, he really did. But somewhere between the 10 oz steak, the smoked salmon, and Hilde asking him to guess the color of the newest member of her panty collection, which she was wearing, he just never found the right moment to mention it. Oh she was going to be furious.

It was 3:16 in the morning and Duo sat at the edge of his bed, freshly showered and still packed, waiting until the absolute last moment before he really had to leave. He sighed. His hand gently caressed the small lump that was her foot under the covers. Hilde stirred. Instantly Duo froze; he didn't want her to wake up. Half of him just wanted to keep watching her sleep in angelic peace. The other half feared her devilish wrath once she found out. He could already feel the sting of her smack on the back of his head. His body compulsively cringed.

After looking around the room for a few more long moments, he decided that he needed to eat something. He hated shuttle food, especially for breakfast. He had dug out better food from garbage cans in his youth than what the InterColony Shuttle Line claimed to be the "inflight meal." As carefully as he could, he rose from the bed, hoping to not disturb its resident.

"Duo?" Hilde faintly called out in sleepy confusion. Again, Duo froze. He tuned slowly and saw that she was looking as him, blinking the sleep from her eyes.

"Hey, Baby." He sat back down.

"What're you doing up?" She stretched a little before settling herself back down against the mattress, fully facing him. So cute. "Did I not thoroughly wear you out?" She asked wryly.

He let out a chuckle. "Oh no, you did." With a sly grin he leaned over and kissed her. Instinctively she wrapped her arms over his shoulders as they continued snuggling. Eventually he moved his lips to her cheek and began making a trail of small kisses down to her neck.

"Babe, why is your hair wet?"

"I took a shower." He mumbled in her shoulder.

"Okay…and why are you dressed?"

All Hilde heard was one long jumbled sentence muffled by her neck.

"Could you repeat that?"

Duo paused. She could feel his steady breath on her skin. Then he sighed, gave her flesh a quick peck and looked at her.

"I have to leave again. I got a message while I was on the shuttle. They need me to come back."

"What?" Hilde's tone was more bewildered than angry. That was a good sign, right? Duo sat up as Hilde propped herself up on her elbows.

There was a pregnant pause between them. Perhaps she really hadn't heard what he said. "I have to leave again. I got a mes –"

"Yeah, I heard you." She cut him off. Oh crap.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you earlier." He said softly. "I didn't actually hear the message until we were home and…" His sentence trailed off. Her jaw had grown tight. Every muscle in his body braced itself for the impact of her hand, but she remained still.

"My flight leaves at 7:45." He continued.

She remained silent, but now, even in the dim light, he swore he saw her body shaking. He didn't know what to do. Her anger was understandable. Hell, he had been pretty miffed while listening to Une's message. It wasn't fair by any means, but what could he do about it? Orders were orders, and although he had never been part of any military like organization, he felt compelled to follow them.

He shifted his weight and touched her covered legs. "Hilde…"

"This is bullshit." She growled flinging the covers off her, grabbing her robe and storming in the bathroom, closing the door with a slam. Duo rubbed his palm against his brow. He heard the shower start. Knowing better than to sneak away, he waited patiently on the bed. Ten minutes later the water cut off and Hilde strode out of the bathroom, clad only in her sateen light lavender robe.

"I guess you need breakfast." She said flatly before walking out of the bedroom and down the hall. Duo swiftly followed her.

Hilde moved with an efficient grace while working in the kitchen. She effortlessly cracked and fried eggs, toasted and buttered bread, and poured coffee into his favorite mug. However, as she moved, the pans, plates, and really anything she laid her hands on clanked and clatter with her pent up frustration. Finally she practically threw his full breakfast plate down on the counter in front of him. As quickly as she made it, he ate it, all the while watching her from under his chestnut bangs. She didn't look at him. She didn't look at anything really; she just glared at the same spot on the floor while he gobbled down the meal. Once he was finish she swiftly scooped up the plate before he could swallow the last bit of bread. The plate clanged when she tossed it in the sink. Satisfied, she swept out of the kitchen and back down the hall; her bare feet pounding first the linoleum and then the carpet.

Duo just watched her walk off as he sat on the stool next to the counter. His head fell back onto his shoulders as he sighed. While he physically hadn't experienced her rage this time, he pitied the kitchenware.

Strolling to the bedroom doorway he saw that Hilde had climbed back into bed, facing away from the door. He knew she wasn't sleeping. Softly he approached the bed and sat next to her.

"Babe." He said touching her shoulder.

"This isn't fair."

"I know." He could see her holding back her tears. Her hand was pressed to her forehead, forcing her bangs back, while the other arm hugged her waist. "Hilde I'm sorry." He cooed, trying to comfort her. She turned to lie on her back, looking up at him.

"You were just gone for four months."

"Yeah…"

"If they needed you to stay, why did the even bother letting you come home?" She pitifully shrugged.

"I don't know."

"It's so messed up…" Her fingers bore down on her eyes, trying to stop her tears.

"I know that this is hard on you." Due slid his arms under her, bending down to rest against her in comfort.

"No you don't." She snorted.

"I do Babe. It's hard on me too – "

"No you don't understand at all." She pushed him off as she sat up. Looking at him dead in the eye she let out an irritated groan. "I spend months waiting for you, not knowing anything. I don't know where you are, what you're doing, if it's safe, if you're all right." She accented her words by numbering off her fingers. "I don't even know if you're alive." She shrugged exasperated. "No one tells me anything." All of the anxiety she felt over the last few months was spilling out of her mouth before she could stop it.

"Hilde, that's how it is for every family of a Preventer agent." Duo responded seriously. He understood her frustration, but that was just how things worked. She knew that. She knew that when she decided to marry him.

"No it's not Duo. " Her voice raised few decibels as she challenged him. "You think that I don't know that they save the most dangerous missions for you and the other four Gundam pilots?"

Duo inhaled slowly.

"You think that I don't know that they send you guys out to do the shit everyone else is afraid to do?" She growled warningly, her voice growing even louder.

It was true. The missions that he was ordered to complete were significantly more life threatening than the average mission. That was why he and the other pilots were called in together. With the exception of Wufei, and occasionally Heero, the Gundam pilots were not full-time Preventer agents. If anything, they were more like volunteers, volunteers who willingly threw themselves in harms way in order to keep peace. Any man's wife would have already gone crazy. Hilde felt perfectly justified.

"You're right. It is dangerous, and I'm sorry that you don't know anything about my missions. But what do you want me to do about it?" Duo asked quietly. They had had this conversation before, and now she was bordering on being dramatic. Her little tirade in the kitchen and the furious way she stormed in and out of rooms were clear signs that she was getting overemotional. For eight years she held up while he went off to fight, he kind of expected her to be able to handle it, especially since now that they were adults. No more raging teenage hormones.

At the moment however, Duo, who usually had a large pool of patience, was also getting on edge. Normally Hilde too was calm by nature, but seeing how frustrating this situation was for the both of them; their tempers were beginning to boil over.

She groaned. "Nothing." She said with finality. "There is nothing you can do. All you can do is follow orders and come when you're called." She made a dramatic waved with her hand. By now she was practically yelling.

"Hilde, come on, you're making it sound like I **choose** them over you. That's not how it is at all, and you know it!" His voice reached the same volume.

"Really Duo, then how is it!"

"I would tell you if you'd stop yelling at me!"

"I am not yelling at you!"

He gawked and pointed his hands at her. Exhibit A.

"I'm just… I'm just yelling." Hilde flopped back onto the pillows, pressing the heel of he palm to the corners of her eyes. Tears finally began spilling out. She took long, sobering breaths to swallow her sobs.

Lacing his fingers behind his neck, Duo inhaled and exhales to calm himself. Fighting would not help at moments like this. He tilted his head in her direction upon hearing her cry. Above all things, Duo hated seeing Hilde cry.

"Hilde, don't…don't cry." He pressed his hand to side of her jaw, slightly cupping her face.

"It's just, so hard…" She stopped fighting it. Her hand reached for his face, but settled on his shoulder. "I'm sorry…"

He leaned over her again, resting his forehead against hers. "It's hard on me too." Slowly they wrapped each other in tight embraces.

"I really am proud of you," Hilde sniffled, "I just wish that I at least knew if you were okay."

They continued holding each other until Hilde's sobs quieted. She felt emotionally drained. In a span of thirty minutes she had gone from positively enraged to completely heartbroken. Those four months had been difficult enough, how long were they going to keep him this time?

Gently, Duo pulled away. He was a little teary-eyed himself. Automatically his eyes closed as Hilde stroked his cheek and the fine hairs along his temple. Briefly he opened his eyes and looked at the clock.

"You know, I still have about an hour before I have to go."

"Yeah…and?" Hilde said playfully.

"Well…" Duo buried his face in her neck, finishing that trail of kisses he began earlier.

His lover let out a small laugh, "Duo, but, you're already showered and dressed…" She was trying to make some sort of point but the train of logic wasn't even convincing her.

"So?"

"You don't want to be all smelly on the plane."

"I guess the schmuck next to me is just going to have to suck it up."

Hilde giggled as she pulled Duo's shirt over his head. Nimbly he untied her robe. It slid off her effortlessly. They laid there in bed for a few moments, completely engrossed in each others kisses, forgetting the argument, and the difficult months ahead of them.

Duo knocked on Commander Une's door. She looked up from her pile of paperwork and saw the scrappy American standing in her doorway.

"Hello Maxwell."

"Hey, I got your message." He stated.

"Obviously." Une retorted.

Duo didn't mind Commander Une, but she was still unanimously considered a bitch, and with good reason. She wasn't an evil bitch as she had been during the days before the Eve Wars, but she still maintained some of those** lovely **qualities.

"I, uh… this might seem a little out of line." Duo said cautiously.

"Name a time when the words coming out of your mouth weren't."

After a moment he shrugged in agreement. "I need a favor."

She raised a well-groomed eyebrow.

Hilde let out a loud groan as she stained to pull a large hunk of rubber from a junk pile. After succeeding to yank only an inch more of it out, she decided that it was time to take a small break. Strolling back into the house she shed her work gloves and steel toed boots. Since Duo was rarely around to do the heavily lifting Hilde had taken it upon herself to do the job. However her petite frame protested all the way. She was simply not built for pulling 150 lbs of rubber from under a ton of literal junk.

At the fridge, the poured herself some water, pressed the cool glass to her brow, and slumped against the refrigerator door. Only three more orders to go. Hilde opened her eyes when she heard the phone ring. It rang once, twice, three times before she perked herself up to answer it. She did a little skip on her way to the phone.

"Hello, Hilde Maxwell speaking. How may I serve your junking needs?" One had to keep an upbeat attitude on the job. Especially when dealing with what most people considered garbage, a little humor never hurt.

"Hello Hilde, this is Relena Darlian."

Hilde practically choked on her own spit. "You mean, Vice Foreign Minister Darlian?"

"Yes."

"Oh. Hi." Hilde had only spoken to Relena a handful of times, including their meeting on Libra. Although she thought that Relena was very nice and likable, they were by no means friends, not that she would object to the idea. Therefore, Hilde honestly had no clue as to why Relena Darlian would be calling her.

On the other end she heard Relena let out a calm breath. "I know that this seems very random, but I was asked to give you a message." The small brunette couldn't help but be transfixed by Relena's serene low voice. No wonder she was such a good politician.

"Okay."

After what seemed like a long pause, Relena said, "Duo is fine."

For a second time, Hilde's saliva tried to strangle her. "Um, Ms. Darlian, how do you…"

Relena chuckled. "Well, Hilde firstly, you can just call me Relena. And Secondly, the Preventers are technically under the ESUN's authority, and as Vice Foreign Minister, I am privy to up to date status reports on missions that are deemed relevant to ESUN operations."

"Oh, okay…"

"Also, as a friendly courtesy, Commander Une informs me on the well being of those in Preventer that have a personal relationship with me." Relena's voiced trailed off slightly. Hilde had an inclination as to exactly who Relena was referring to. She had met the stoic, shaggy haired pilot several times before. Though initially bizarre, after further contemplation, Heero Yuy did seem like a fair match for the VFM.

"The information I received is as usual vague and minimal," Relena continued, "but as I am not a member of Preventer, I was asked in the information to relay this message to you. As of this morning's report, Duo Maxwell is fine."

Hilde's heart swelled. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." A mutual understanding passed between the two young women, miles apart. Hilde's simple statement of gratitude was more than a polite gesture. Relena understood the young woman's reaction after hearing the message. She reacted the same way whenever she received news about her own Gundam pilot.

"Good bye Hilde."

"Bye." The line clicked notifying her that the connection was dead. Casually Hilde placed the phone back on the hook. She walked back to the kitchen and finished the glass of water she had abandoned on the counter. Swallowing the last drop, Hilde decided to go back to work. She felt as though she could haul just about any amount of everyday junk.

"Holy Mary mother of Jesus!" Duo gasped as he rolled and fell backward. His chest heaved as he strained to even his breath. He felt like he wanted to die. This was more than he could handle, way more. What had he done to deserve this?

At 2:44 that afternoon, Hilde met him at the space port entrance in a perfectly cute cream colored summer dress. Due to the fact that she was in a dress, she didn't pounce on him like the last time, but the feeling was the same. He was elated to see her.

Two months after their depressing parting, Duo happily returned home hoping that Hilde would have put on the same sort of show that she did last time. He really could use a steak. Sadly, the kitchen appeared to be unused. Noting his disappointment, Hilde suggested that they go out to eat. They had made a nice profit due to a large amount of scrap metals being needed for immediate transfer to Mars. When Duo asked why she hadn't cooked anything, Hilde replied that the last time she that did, it only brought bad luck. Duo snorted in disbelief. She was just being lazy.

The dinner was delicious though, and so was the dessert. When they arrived at home, Hilde surprised him with a welcome home pie. Ok, so maybe she wasn't completely lazy. However, after having his fill of pie, Duo was more interested in a different kind of dessert.

It was 8:23 in the evening, and Duo Maxwell's brain could barely process a single thought. The dessert was that good.

"Oh man...wha…" Apparently his speech was impaired too. He vaguely heard Hilde stretch next to him on the bed. She was making lovely little noises.

"Babe, how did you…?" He tried to ask but he was still panting. Running his hand over his bangs, sweeping the sweat back, he arched his back slightly. Then after a few moments he relaxed down onto the mattress.

"That was amazing." Hilde said, obviously as exhausted as he was.

"Yeah, I mean…wow."

Hilde chuckled. Duo felt her come close to him; he hadn't actually opened his eyes yet. She curled her body against his, both were slick with perspiration. Together they cooled off, allowing their breathing to become even, and their heart rates to slow to a reasonable pace. Once he felt like he could move, Duo pulled her a little closer, wrapping an arm over her shoulder. She pressed her nose to his cheek and snaked an arm over collar bone. Her fingers scratched lightly on the back of his neck. He liked the sensation.

"Mmm, thank you." She said in his ear.

"You are welcome." He replied in a loud punctuated tone. "Wait…what are you thanking me for?" Duo had enough self-confidence to admit that most of what just happened was Hilde's doing, not his. So he was a little confused. Was this just post coital ramblings, or was she genuinely thanking him for something?

Hilde pulled away slightly to look at him. "I received a call from the Vice Foreign Minister of the ESUN while you were gone."

"Oh really? What about?" He looked at her with his big Cobalt blue eyes. Hilde couldn't tell if he was playing dumb, or if he really didn't know.

"Relena Darlian was kind enough to tell me that she had received some info on you, and that you were okay."

"Oh. That was nice." Duo wasn't very good at lying. Hilde noticed the recognition in his face instantly.

"Yeah it was very nice." She snuggled back down against him. They laid in silence for a long time just listening to each other breath.

"Thank you." Hilde said quietly.

"You're welcome." 


End file.
